JAM and the Beach

JAM's first trip to the beach

We went on a long weekend/mini-vacay to Rockport in mid-July with my parents and brother Ryan (Colin had plans to float the river with friends, but he was missed!).  We also got to visit with my aunt who lives in Rockport and she got to give some loving to JAM man.  This was our first road trip with baby in tow, and it was seriously a miracle that we fit all of the baby gear, our bags, us, and Sydney in my truck.  And it took me half the day to pack up ALL of the baby gear we may need (which I'm proud to say we used every single baby thing we took with us).  By the time we have our next baby, we're definitely going to need to invest in a larger vehicle.  Jensen did awesome in the car and slept for the majority of both trips.  While we were there, we got to fish off the dock, sleep in, take blissfully long naps, eat some yummy crab and fish, and take Jensen to the beach for the first time.  I wasn't sure how successful the beach trip was going to be considering Jensen gets fussy when he is either a) too hot, or b) the sun blasts him in the face.  BUT he does love bath time and I found the cutest swim shorts and top for him to wear, so we had to make a go of it.  He was content for about the first 30 minutes we were there, which is when we snapped all of these photos of him looking like a little surfer dude.  And then he got hungry/sleepy/hot.  He took a nice long nap on the beach and by the time he woke, we were all ready to call it a day. 

And I know I am biased, but I am SO obsessed with all of these photos.  His Loli bought him the super cool shades, which were still a little big for him but still served their purpose of making him look like a little stud-muffin. 

Favorite Mommy Gear

Since having a baby, baby gear and toys have exploded all over our home.  I realized that there are some items I can't live without.  So here is a small sampling of my favorite mommy/baby items that have been lifesavers since baby Jensen joined our family.

Aden and Anais Muslin Blankets

They are perfect for the Texas heat!  Very soft and thin, but still keep your little bundle warm when needed.  And great to soak up the occasional spit up too!

Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag

This bag is functional, sturdy, and still cute to carry around as a purse.  It fits everything we need when we're on the go and also transitions from a satchel to a back pack if needed.  It's also water proof and comes with a changing pad and wipe holder.  I love this bag!

Tommee Tippee Bottles

We have had the most success nursing and bottle feeding with Tommee Tippee bottles.  These bottles are great for breast-fed babies due to the shape of the nipple.  They are also very easy to clean with few parts and have a back flow valve that helps prevent the amount of air the baby takes in while feeding.

Angelcare Movement Monitor

This movement monitor has given me some piece of mind when Jensen sleeps, and especially when we moved him into his own crib recently.  The pad goes underneath the crib mattress and detects movement (breathing).  If for some reason the baby were to stop breathing, an alarm will sound giving the parents time to resuscitate the baby if needed.  Thank God nothing like that has happened, but it's nice to know that it's monitoring his breathing...just in case.

The BOB

I LOVE this stroller.  It's very light, easy to use, and awesome for jogs around the neighborhood or off-roading at the park!  We use it daily when we go on walks or runs.  I can even push it with one hand, which is great!

Bath Luve

 

Jensen hated baths at first, but after we started using the Bath Luve, he stopped screaming and actually seemed to enjoy them.  Now he loves bath time!

Munchkin Microwave Steam Bags

 These bags are a quick and easy alternative to sterilizing baby items by boiling them.  Just throw the nipples, pacifiers, pump parts, etc into a bag, add some water and microwave for 3 minutes. Ta da!  I can sterilize Jensen's stuff almost everyday without going through the hassle of waiting for water to boil.  Each bag is reusable and can be used up to 20 times.  

What were your favorite baby products/gear?  I would love to hear what other moms have to say, so please share in the comments section!